Twee slapende honden 1657

Marcus de Bye made this etching of two sleeping dogs sometime in the 17th century. At this time, Dutch artists were fascinated by the everyday world, and the rise of a merchant class meant more people could afford art. But why dogs? Well, in Dutch art, dogs often symbolized loyalty, vigilance, and domesticity. In a broader sense, this image reflects the values of the rising middle class in the Netherlands – the importance of home life, loyalty to one’s community, and a sense of watchful care over one's property. The dogs are rendered with a realism made possible by the development of new printing technologies like etching. As historians, we use a wide range of resources – from household inventories to emblem books – to understand the meanings that might have been attached to such an image. So, what might seem like a simple, charming scene gives us insight into the social values of the time.